The script for Star Trek: The Motion Picture referred to this station as the "orbital drydock offices." In Gene Roddenberry's novelization of The Motion Picture, the office complex was referred to as a "Centroplex".

Construction on the complex began during the production of Star Trek: Phase II. According to Magicam's visual effects artist Jim Dow, "The first design for the space-office complex was by Mike Minor. It was composed of clusters of dodecahedrons. We worked on that for months, until we found out that it is literally impossible to cluster dodecahedrons – impossible mathematically. Mike could draw it – and it looked terrific – but we couldn't make it work. We have to use a simpler shape." (Starlog #27, October 1979, p. 27-28)

The orbital office complex as it appeared on the big screen was designed by Andrew Probert, and in this form, was only used in The Motion Picture. Designing the office complex was the first design work that Probert did on the film. [1]

According to Probert, "the long copper cylinders" protruding from the top of the complex "were botanical tanks, so you could grow fruits and vegetables without needing soil, and that in turn would help supply your oxygen as well as some of the station's food. That was my thinking, at the time, but I'm sure they're probably too big for that, or whatever." [2]

The set for the office complex's interior, including the travel pod set, was constructed on Paramount Stage 17 and cost US$60,000. (The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, p. 95) The set for the complex was one of the first sets from The Motion Picture to be taken down, following production on the film. By 5 January1979, not only had the set been struck for storage and folded but it had also been decided that the set would be moved to Paramount Stage 9 for permanent storage. (The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, p. 214)